Tired of switching back and forth between two application windows on your Mac? The Split View feature in macOS will make multitasking a lot easier. Read on to learn how to split your screen on Mac and use two apps at the same time.
What is Split View in macOS?
Split View is one of those useful macOS features that makes your life easier. It allows you to view two windows on your Mac at the same time without overlapping or cluttering with other open windows.
If you don't have a secondary display, Split View is a great choice when you need to use two apps side by side on your Mac. For example, with Split View, you can scroll through a document on one side of your Mac screen and enter information into Numbers on the other side.
This feature is a lifesaver for people who often do many things at the same time on the computer. However, there's a small catch – you can't use more than two apps in Split View at the same time.
How to split screen on Mac
You can split your screen on your Mac using a button Enter Full Screen or Mission Control. The article will guide you through both methods below.
Enter Split View on your Mac using the Enter Full Screen button
Most application windows on macOS have buttons Enter Full Screen lets you put them in full-screen view or tile them to the left or right half of the screen. You can use that to put the app in Split View using these steps:
1. Open the two apps you want to use side by side.
2. Hover the pointer over the green button in the upper-left corner of either application's window.
3. Click the second or third option from the context menu depending on your preference (left or right).
4. Once the app is tiled, click the second app window that appears on the other half of the screen to tile.
Enter Split View on your Mac using Mission Control
Mission Control is a macOS feature that shows you all the open apps and spaces on your screen to help you easily access them. Here's how to use it to put two apps side by side:
1. Open the two apps you want to use in Split View.
2. Open Missing Control. You can do this by pressing the key Mission Control (F3) on the keyboard. Alternatively, you can swipe up with three fingers on the trackpad or double-tap the Magic Mouse with two fingers.
3. Click the application window and hover over the left or right side of the active space at the top of the screen. When you see a window with a plus (+) button, drop the app window on it.
4. Now click and drag the second app window over to the new space and drop it there to place it next to the other app in Split View.
How to adjust windows in Split View mode
Once you've placed two apps in Split View on your Mac, here are some actions that can help you multitask more effectively.
Adjust the split screen area
If you want a window on either side of the screen to be larger, click and drag the vertical separator between the two windows to the left or right depending on your preference. Remember that there is a limit to how much you can adjust the size of the windows in Split View.
Switch window position
Sometimes you feel it is more convenient to view one of the applications on the left side of the screen instead of on the right (or vice versa), you can easily switch the position of the window without exiting Split View.
To do this, move the pointer to the top of the screen. This will display the window's title bar. Click the title bar of the app you want to move and drag it to the other side of your Mac screen.
Also, don't worry if you can't see your Mac's Dock — it's temporarily hidden when you're in Split View. If you want the Dock to show up, just move the cursor to the bottom of the screen.
Replace a window in Split View
Finally, if you want to use a different app than the two currently open in Split View, you can replace the tiled app window with another window.
To do this, go back to the screen space where you opened the two apps side by side. Move the pointer over the green button on the application window you want to replace and select Replace Tiled Window.
When macOS shows you all the open apps on your desktop, click on the app you want to use and it will be stacked next to the existing app in split-screen mode.
How to exit Split View in macOS
There are 4 ways to exit Split View mode on Mac. The fastest way is to press the Esc key. This will take the app out of Split View and put the other app in full screen mode. However, this method does not work on applications that use the Esc key for some other task.
Additionally, you can exit Split View using the green button. With this method, you can choose what happens to the app window when you exit Split View by hovering over the green button and selecting Move Window to Desktop or Make Window Full Screen. If you don't see the green button, move the pointer to the top edge of the screen.
If you're done working with one of the apps from the Split View screen, click the button X in the top left corner of the window to close it. When you do this, the remaining app will open in full screen mode.
Finally, you can also exit Split View using Mission Control. To do this, press the key Mission Control (F3) on the keyboard or swipe up with 3 fingers on the trackpad. Then, hover the cursor over the screen space showing the windows in Split View and click the inward arrow to split them.
More ways to split your screen on Mac
While Split View is a great and effective way to multitask on your Mac, another way to split your screen on your Mac is to use a third-party window management tool for macOS. .
One such tool is Magnet. With it, you can view up to 4 windows simultaneously on a standard screen and up to 6 windows when using an ultra-wide screen. It's easy to activate; You choose how to see things on your screen by dragging open windows or using keyboard shortcuts. Magnet isn't free, but it's worth it.
Download Magnet ($4.99)
If you don't want to spend money on a third-party app, consider using Rectangle instead. Its free option includes all the essential window management features and supports a variety of layouts. The app has keyboard shortcuts for different layouts, making it super easy to quickly dock the app. Besides, it also provides you with a number of other useful features to help you multitask effectively.
Download Rectangle (Free, premium version available)
Split View is the easiest way to see and use two apps side by side on your Mac. Sure, it lacks some features, but not everyone needs more than the basics. For those who do so, official window management tools are the way to go.
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